Lev. 23:24 The Scriptures simply commanded that it was to be a day of blowing the shofar.

The shofar is not a soft pleasant sound like the harp, violin or even the piano.But I can guarantee you that as someone is playing the shofar – you will not go to sleep!

God has ordained for the shofar to be a wake up call – and has ordained for this wake up call to be at least once a year.

Joel 2:1 – the trumpet is sounded as a warning in the lead up to the Lord's return

Feast of Trumpets – Pointing to the Lord’s Return

First it is preparing us for the time when He will come.

Ps. 47:5 – the Lord ‘goes up’ with a shout. How does God go up? Compare with the sun going up – it is always up, but it is becoming visible over us.It will be ‘with a shout’ – literally ‘blast of the trumpet’ and the sound of the shofar!

1 Thes 4:16-18His return will be announced by the loud, clear sounding of the trumpet.Feast of trumpets is therefore an annual reminder of End Times and the Return of the Lord.

Second – it shows us something about the timing:It is the only feast on the new moon

It was a unique feast and no one knew exactly when it would start - which is exactly what Jesus said again and again about His Return.

What is the message of the trumpet to us?

A Thief in the Night

1 thes 5:1-3 Day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night to the world -A thief coming is unexpected, sudden and devastating.

V4 But this verse tells us that we as believers are not to be surprised.

1 thes 5:5-7Those who sleep are those who will be caught unaware when he comes.

We are not meant to be caught unaware – but if we don’t heed the message of the trumpet, we too will face judgement. The trumpet is sounding to prepare us for His coming.

The Good and Evil Servants

Mt 24:45-51 The good servant vs the evil servantLet’s note first that both are servants appointed by God to serve Him.

But while the Lord is away and time drags on – while no one seems to notice, one of the servants begins to live a life of sin. No doubt God will have been trying to warn him, to call him to repentance with the sound of the trumpet – but he is not listening!

It is that servant who will be caught by surprise – to that servant, Jesus will come as a thief in the night.

If he does not repent, he faces the same judgment as the wicked.

This person is now gnashing his teeth in regret, as the Lord has come and he is facing the same judgment as those who never believed in God!

There is coming a cut off date - there is coming a time when it will be too late to repent and turn around.

We need to remember that: God is extremely merciful and longsuffering.

But there is coming a cut off date, a time when God will wait no longer. Let us hear the message of the Trumpet / Shofar / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah that is telling us that the cut off date is coming.

Being Removed From The Book of Life

Some people will teach that ‘once saved always saved’.

I believe that it is possible to lose our salvation.

A sad example is the church of Sardis in the book of Revelation.

Rev 3:1-3God is speaking to the dead church.It is dead in the sense that they are living for sin.

God tells them that if they do not repent, He will come to them as a thief in the night.V4-5 those who walk in purity and overcome the sins of those around them, will be clothed in white and will not have their names taken out of the book of life.For the rest, they will have their names removed from the book of life! Those who are part of the church, but living ongoing sinful lives will have their name taken out of the book of life and will face the same judgment as the rest of the gentiles!

Final Summary:

Why is the trumpet / shofar sounded every year now on Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah / Feast of Trumpets for over 3000 years? Yes, It is a prophetic picture of the Lord’s return – but it also has a specific message to each generation.

The shofar sound carries two main messages – wake up and repent!

Ps. 89:15 – as we know the sound of the trumpet, we will walk in the light of God’s presence.